Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang played in an amateur match ahead of a tournament as he enjoys his summer holiday amid reports that Arsenal are seeking offers for their captain.

The Arsenal captain turned out in an amateur match, played on an artificial pitch, that took place ahead of a neighbourhood Cup of Africa Nations tournament in France.

Auba’s side lost 7-6, although the Arsenal man did score a great goal that you can see below.

https://twitter.com/PJordan__/status/1400149259496923139

“To face Auba just before a CAN of the districts, it is not really something that I could have imagined, especially here at Le Mans,” said 21-year-old Brandon “Brandy” Bokangu, who plays for Olympique de Saumur in the fifth tier of French football, the Championnat National 3.

“Obviously, I was extremely happy and excited to take on him, as people could see on the videos online! (Laughs.) It was also a source of additional motivation for the whole team. To challenge a Premier League player, that gives you only one desire: to be up to the task.

“The match took place in a special context. In fact, it was not even CAN yet, just a series of friendlies before the start of the competition. The funny thing is that my team of players of Congolese origin was not even complete! Aubameyang was simply invited by some of his friends who live in Le Mans. As he was in the area, he agreed to come and play the match.”

As Auba enjoys his holiday, reports have emerged that Arsenal are seeking buyers for the 31-year-old who endured his worst professional season in terms of goals scored for a decade. It did take place in rather unusual circumstances, however. In addition to having to deal with tactics on the pitch that, at times, seemed designed to create as few chances as possible, Auba also had to deal his mum being so ill with Covid he had to return home to Gabon and being hospitalised with malaria himself.

Still, at least he got that nice bumper payrise in his new contract, something that will make it hard for Arsenal to move him on, if that is indeed what they want to do.

It’s almost as if the shambles of offering Mesut Ozil a massive contract and then deciding the club didn’t want him never happened.

Arsenal are said to be ‘inviting offers’ for Aubameyang and the Telegraph note that Chelsea are interested in signing him which I’m sure would go down really well with the Arsenal fanbase, especially when you consider the sort of players we sign from Chelsea.

At this point, it is only a rumour, but it sounds like Arsenal, doesn’t it?